Beginning in May, 1927, Coleman changed the design of the integral pump from built-on (above) to built-in, as on this lantern in Ron Becker’s collection. L427s built after this coleman sleeping bag date all have the built-in pump. Since 1898, OL has been a leading authority in testing and reviewing hunting gear, fishing tackle, guns and shooting equipment, and much more.
The bottom rim of the fount (lower image) is stamped MADE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA in a small font. The ball nut on this version of Model L227, dated stamped Feb. 1929, is separate from the vent and the ventilator lacks indentations as above. Coleman shipped Model L227 from Aug. 1927 through Dec. 1932 (Strong cited by Becker). The first production of instant lighting lanterns was in March, 1928 when Coleman made the L220 and L228 (above- missing mica globe). The bottom plate of the 242A lantern above was heavily galvanized at the factory, a common occurrence in the 1930s, so the date numbers don’t show up (upper image). Robert Burnes used a direct radiography panel to capture x-rays for the middle and lower images.
This lantern is date stamped 7 9 (September ’27), six months before the L220/L228 lanterns were introduced. It appears to be an early version of those first instant lighting models with the same burner and T88 generator. The globe is embossed Coleman and Pyrex Reg US Pat Off Made in U.S.A. on the back (not shown). The globe is stabilized in the frame by an upper plate (middle image) and lower spring clips (upper right image). Takao Kimura, whose collection this is in, and I believe this is Model 216, one of three lanterns noted in the Coleman Shipping Records a couple of months after the 7 9 date. The ventilator doesn’t take a ball nut but has a threaded insert so that a shade can be fitted and it can serve as a lamp.
The fuel pickup (not shown) is a simple tube and there is a supplementary generator heater threaded into the mixing chamber casting (middle images). After preheating with a torch, a row of small flames come out of the rear of the heater, directed at the upper part of the Q77 generator. This lantern, in Greg McCartney’s collection, is date stamped April 1929 (lower image). Coleman’s first production of Models 220B and 228B was May, 1930. Until early 1934 all of the founts of these two models were stamped 220B on the bottom.
This lantern has an original globe in which the logo was sandblasted into the glass. Join Good Sam today and get exclusive perks including fuel discounts, access to dump stations, camping discounts, and more. You can adjust the light output with the tip cleaner stem or the valve, depending on the model. Click here for an owner’s manual on your lantern if you don’t have one. Once the mantle(s) start to burn steady (but dim) open the valve all the way and pump more air into the fount for maximum brightness. Install a new mantle or mantles on your lantern.
Because you’d always have a little gasoline handy. Compared to these classic lanterns, your modern LED lantern is a toy–and toys are for kids. So it’s time to get a real lantern–and become the master of your campsite–and a master of the night. This past fall my buddy Phil got me interested in Coleman’s classic lanterns.
The lantern, in John Rugotzke’s collection, is date stamped Dec ’29. Coleman made the L427 Quick-Lite lantern with embossed founts for the coleman lantern U. S. Forest Service from the spring, 1932 until the fall, 1939. The lanterns, dated Mar ’33 & Feb ’35, are in Deems Burton’s collection.
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